Micturition curative device



Patented Aug. 31, 1954 2,687,721 MICTURITION CURATIVE DEVICE John A. T.Ellison, Seattle, Wash, assignor of one-half to Joe Weidum and one-halfto J.

Vernon Clemans, both of Seattle, Wash.

Application June 8, 1951, Serial No. 230,537

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a micturition curative device, and moreparticularly to a device which will awaken a child when micturitioncommences.

Nocturnal enuresis is a common perplexing childhood problem and it hasbeen discovered that it can be cured by repeatedly awakening the child,as by the ringing of a bell, whenever the bed wetting starts. The mostapparent manner of making the ringing of a bell dependent upon aninstance of micturition has appeared to be an arrangement whereby anelectric control circuit for the bell is completed through the urinedischarged by the child. Accordingly, the arrangement must include a bedpad adapted to be placed under the child so as to be exposed to theurine and having spaced electrical conductors adapted to be bridged bythe urine. A further requirement, perforce, is that the bed pad bedetachable and Washable.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to providea Washable pad-like device of simple and economical construction havingspaced electrical conductors arranged and adapted to be electricallybridged by contact of urine therewith.

With the foregoing and other still more particular objects andadvantages in View, the invention consists in the novel construction andin the adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of one species of bed pad of the presentinvention connected to the bell control circuit.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a second speciesof bed pad, and also illustrating the use of specially adaptedplier-like spring clips for making an electrical connection with thebell control circuit.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a third species of bed pad connected to thebell control circuit.

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a row ofholes of the species of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic control circuit.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 5 thereof, the bellcontrol circuit for the bed pad Will first be detailed. The current forthe circuit is supplied from batteries I 0, the total voltage of thelatter preferably being no greater than 12 volts so that there is nodanger of shocking the child. It will be noted that the control circuitcomprises a primary and a secondary circuit, the former including leadsH and [3 to the view of the electrical bell 2 pad-like device, anormally closed push-button switch M, and a relay unit [5 controlling anormally open switch 16 in the secondary circuit, the latter alsoincluding the bell, denoted by [1. Keeping in mind, as will be laterdetailed, that the child, after being awakened, can open the controlcircuit to stop the ringing of the bell and terminate the flow ofcurrent through the bed pad. A housing i8 is provided for the controlcircuit as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with the pushbutton I4 being mountedthereon for ready access.

Continuing now to a description of the bed pad it will be noted thatthree different species thereof The first species, shown in Fig. l,utilizes a sheet 20 of cloth or insulating properties when dry and onthis pad are sewn spaced rows of stitches from an electricallyconductive Wire thread. These stitches of stitches, at the opposite endof the sheet. These two columns 22 and 24 01 stitches are joined withthe control circuit leads I l and I3.

Continuing to the second species illustrated in Fig. it is readily seenthat such comprises two wire screens 25 and 26 separated by anintermediate layer 2! of cloth sheeting or other abmoved for laundering,leaving the screens free to be reused with a fresh sheet. When inoperative position on a childs bed, the screens are connected with thecontrol circuit leads H and I3 and this can be accomplished by the useof plierlike springclips 3i and 3|, respectively, each having its prongsclamped over both screens and with the upper prong 32 of the clip 36 andthe 3 lower prong 33 of the clip 31 being insulated from the screens 25and 26, respectively, by insulating sheathes 34 and 35. The clips areconnected to the leads H and 13 of the bell control circuit.

With this arrangement, When micurition commences, the urine, uponcontacting the absorptive sheet 27, electrically bridges the conductivewire screens and hence completes a circuit from lead It to leadI3'through clip 32, the lower and upper screens .26 and 25 via theurine, and clip 31, thus resulting in the ringing of the bell H.

A third species of bed pad is illustrated in Figs. 3 and a and comprisestwo thin outer layers ii] and ll of electrically conductive foil,aluminum foil being preferred, separated by a thin layer of paper t2 oranother electrically insulating material. Ihe layers are perforated topresent a plurality of holes 13 each passing through all three layers,the size of these holes being unimportant as long as they are largeenough to permit urine to readily pass therethrough. It is preferred tocement the layers together to keep the holes in alignment. The outerconductive layers may be connected to a respective one of the leads Hand 13 by the use of the clips 39 and 3% as before. With such anarrangement the urine, when discharged by the child, passes through oneor more of the holes it and hence completes a circuit between the foillayers 40 and ll, thus effecting electrical juncture of the leads H andit to ring the bell. It will be apparent that a particular advantage ofthis species of the invention is the fact that when the bed pad becomessoiled, it can be washed off and readily reused.

is thought that the invention, and its advantages, Will have beenclearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of thepreferred illustrated embodiments. It is self-evident that changes fromthe illustrated and described embodiments may be resorted to Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly myintention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given a scope fully commensurate with thebroadest-interpretation to which the employed language admits.

What I claim is:

1. in a i icturition curative device, a thin pad having-cutside iacingsof metallic foil separated by and secured to a thin intermediate layerof an electrically insulating material, said pad presenting a pluralityof openings each passing completely therethrough for the ready passageof liquid from one facing to the other.

plurality of openings each passing 2. In an alarm device including athin pad Whose outside facings are electrically conductive and areelectrically bridged only when liquid contacts the pad, means forelectrically connecting each of a pair of electric alarm circuit leadsto a respective one of said facings, said means comprising a pair ofelectrically conductive clips each connected to a respective one of theleads and adaptedto grip the pad with one clip being insulated from oneof said facings and the other clip being insulated from the otherfacing.

3. A micturition curative device comprising a thin pad having outsidefacings of metallic foil separated by and secured to a thin intermediatelayer of an electrically insulating material, said 'pad presenting aplurality of openings each passtherethrough for the ready passage ofliquid from one facing to the other, an electric alarm circuit includinga pair of leads to opposite of said outside faces, and means comprisinga pair of electrically conductive clips each connected to a respectiveone of the leads and adapted to grip the pad With one clip beinginsulated from one of said facings and the other clip being insulatedfrom the other facing.

4. In a micturition curative device, a thin laminated pad having outsidelayers of metallic foil separated by and completely cemented to anintermediate layer of paper, said pad having a completely therethroughfor the ready passage of liquid from one outside layer to the other.

ing completely References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 362,010 Jewill Apr. 26, 1887 1,127,741 DixonFeb. '9, 1915 1,772,232 Van Guilder Aug. 5, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 9,875 France Dec. 15, 1908 185,773 Switzerland Nov. 2, 1936673,239 France Oct. 7, 1929 OTHER REFERENCES Mowrer et al.: Am. Jrnl. ofOrthopsychiatry, July 1938, pp. 446-447 only cite.

Davidson et al.: Br. Medical Jrnl., June 10, 1950, pp. 1345-1347; p.1346.

